Collapsible reclining chair



INVENTOR Jam lfeymn/ Y 5 KM A'ITORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14. 1950 Nov. 17, 1953 s. HEYMAN COLLAPSIBLE RECLINING CHAIR 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14. 1950 4 INVENTOR Sam, 5239mm 1 BY I ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,659,416 COLLAPSIBLE RECLINING CHAIR Sam Heyman, New Bedford, Mass. Application October 14, 1950, Serial No. 190,172

4 Claims.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a collapsible reclining chair that is light in weight, strong and durable with but few structural parts all of which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and are substantially solely of tubular metal stock, which chair is easily assembled and not likely to become deranged and has facility for adjustment at will by the seated occupant to a desired angle of inclination of the back rest and automatically locks it in such adjusted position, and yet admits of ready collapse of the chair by but a single motion into compact form to facilitate storage or transportation.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chair in open position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the chair in open position showing positions of adjustment of the back rest in dot and dash lines,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view on a larger scale showing the chair in collapsed position,

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on a. larger scale taken along line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the chair in partly collapsed position,

.Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line B6 of Fig. 4, and a Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 11 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the chair desirably comprises a front support II, a back support I2 and a seat frame I3, all substantially U-shaped members, preferably of tubular metal stock such as aluminum or the like.

The front support i l is desirably conformed so that the upper portions l4 and I5 of the legs l6 and I1 thereof are substantially parallel to each other, the legs being bent so as to flare outwardly from such parallel portions I 4, [5 to the cross piece [8 thereof. Mounted on each of the upper ends respectively of the parallel portions l4 and I5 of legs [6 and I1 is a connector member 2|, desirably a block of metal, preferably cast from aluminum or the like and having a socket 22 near the front end thereof which accommodates the upper end of the parallel portions l4 and I5 respectively, each of which is secured in place as by a rivet 23. Each of the connector members 2| also desirably has a longitudinal recess 24 in the bottom thereof to the rear of socket 22 in which is positioned the free end of the corre- Jponding oblique leg 25, 26 of the back support I2, pivotally retained as by means of a loose rivet 21, associated pairs of legs of said front support and said back support lying in substantially the same vertical plane.

The legs 3| and 32 of the seat frame l3, which are straddled by the legs 25 and 26 of the back support, are desirably pivotally connected thereto near their free ends respectively as by bolts 33, substantially at the mid point of the legs 25 and 26. Means are desirably provided slidably to mount the seat frame near its front portion with respect to the legs l6 and ll of the front support. To this end as shown in Figs. 1 and '7, a pair of eye bolts 34 desirably have their eye portion 35 encompassingthe legs 16 and I1 respectively of the front support ll. As shown in Fig. '7, the stems 36 of the eye bolts 34 extend through the legs l6, l1 respectively of the seat frame to the rear of the cross piece 3! thereof, the eye bolts being rigidly connected to said legs by means of nuts 38. The eye bolts are movable along the parallel portions l4 and I5 of such legs with their downward movement limited, as by means of rivets 39 extending transversely through said legs illustratively at the lower ends of the parallel portions l4 and l 5 with protruding heads 4| that serve as stops for said eye portions 35.

The chair is desirably provided with a back rest 46 which as shown in Fig. l desirably comprises a substantially U-shaped member also preferably of tubular stock, having a pair of substantially parallel legs 41 and 48, the free ends of which are straddled by the legs 3! and 32 of the seat frame and are pivotally connected to the ends thereof as by bolts 49. The back rest desirably includes a canvas strip 5|, substantially equal to the combined length of the seat frame l3 and back rest 46, and afiixed at one end as by a line of stitching 52 to the cross piece 53 of back rest 46 and at its other end to the cross piece 31 of the seat frame l3 as by a line of stitching 54, the portion of the legs 3| and 92 of the seat frame between the eye bolts 34 and the cross piece 31 being downwardly bent as at 55. As shown in Fig. 1 the canvas strip is superposed over seat 44, which desirably is a strip of canvas which extends across the legs 3| and 32 of the seat frame. Desirably a reinforcing strip 56 also of canvas, extends transversely across the legs 41 and 49 of the back rest 46 and is desirably affixed as by stitching to the longitudinal edges 51 of strip 5|.

Means are desirably provided to permit adjustment of the angle of inclination of the back rest lock the backirest adjustment. To this end a pair of arm rests 6| and 62 are desirably provided, which, though they may be of any suitable material, in the embodiment herein wood. The arm rests are pivotally. connected at their rear ends respectively on the outer sides of legs 41 and 48 of the back rest 46 'as by bolts 63 and the front portion of each armsrest desirably adjustably connected to the correspondingconnector member 2|. For this purpose each of vthe arm rests thereto, the strips being. secured to the associated armrests as by means of screws'66'which' extend through a. lateral flange 61 on the upper edgeof each of the strips.

As .shown'in Figs; 3, 4, 5 and 6, each ofthe strips 65. desirably has: a longitudinal slot 68 that it may ride along 'theassociated slot 68== and also mayenter any. of the plurality of spacednotches 14 formed in the upper 'edge'of-the slot 66 ,to lock the'corresponding arm rest'in" any position of adjustment. Desirably' the upper edge of each of the slots "has a longitudinal recess 15 adjacent and to the rear of the rearmost notch 14 in order'to provide a' guide for the associated pin 69 inthe manner hereinafter described.-

Means are desirably provided automatically; to"

move the arm rests so that the-notches 14-'in the strips 65 may be moved' clearof the'associated locking pins 69 in order to unlock the arm' rest as the chair is'folded. To'this end asshown in Figs; 4; 5 and6at least one of'the fingersll; 12 illustratively finger 12, has a cam conformation 11at'the'free end thereof which is so conformed that whenthe blocks 2| extend substantially parallel'to the arm rests as'shown in Fig. 4, the cam11 will rest'against the undersurface of flange 61, with pin 69 locked in'the associated notch 14, and when'the connectors 2| are pivoted in a clockwise direction about bearing rivets 21 to the position shown in Fig. 3; in which they to the'arm rests; each cam'conformation 11 will lift the associated arm rest until the'notches 46 with respectto-the seat frame 'andto 46 in any desired position of.

shown are illiistratively'ofhas .an elongated longitudinally. extending'jstrip '65; preferably'of metal, mounted on the 'undersurface thereof and depending therefrom in 'a' plane at right angles .to and extending transversely has a lateral the space between a are at'substantially right angles clear the associated pins 69 to unlock the arm rest.

With the above construction, when the chair is occupied, the entire weight of the user will be supported by the front and back supports II and I2 and the seat frame l3. As the back rest 46 and arm rests 6| and 62 do not play any part in retaining the seat portion of the chair in horizontal position or in retaining the chair in open position, if the occupant of the chair desires to adjust the inclination of the back rest 46, he need merely lean forward slightly. It is then a relatively simple matter to raise the front ends'-0f 'the-.;arm rrests 6handr6l :andslide the latter. backward or. forward as desired; asshown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2 until the back rest 46 is at the desired inclination, and thereupon automatically lock the latter in position by-pressingdown on the arm rests so that the lock pins 69 may enter the corresponding notches 14 in the strip 65. Once the back rest is looked as above'dscrib'ed; even if the occupant of the chainshould lean forward or rise from the chair, the back rest will remain. in set position so that the chair may again be used without need for readjustment;

By" reason of assurance that on'zthe upper edge of 14, andthe user should lean with his full weight against the back 'rest46-while-the latter is substantially' forwardly inclined," the pins 69 will be guided by the recesses 15 to abut against theedges 18 of the rearmost notches 14 so that the' pins will enter'such-notches thereby-'automaticall'y locking'the-back rest to 'rearmost operativeposition so that the-chair would nottilt-backward and overturn under the weight of theuser.

To collapse 4 the chair from the position shownin Figs. 1 and-2to the position shown in"Flg.'3.*

the cross piece 31 need merely be raised, while holdingone of the legs of-back rest: Seat frame 1am therebypivoting on bolts 39 toward backrest 4t-willslide at eye portions 35 of the eye bolts 34 upward along 'the parallel portions l4 and I5 of legs I6 and H of the front support: thereby causing the connector members 2| that are affixed Ma result-the arm rests 6| 2| as the pins 69 will-ride in the slots 66 as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5," becoming aligned therewith by reason of the abutment of the end 11' of cam conformstion'11 against flange 61. As a result the legs 9|and 32 0f the seat frame ls'may against the legs 41 shown in Fig; 3 so that the-chair is in compact, collapsed condition.

Thus the arm rests automatically becomeunlocked as-the'seat frame is pivoted upwardly. andbut a single movement is required for complete collapse and folding of the chair and by pivoting the seat frame downwardly until the eye portions rest on rivet heads 4|, the collapsed chair may 'just'asreadily be set up for use.

With the construction herein described, a.

the elongatedrecess 14, there is: if the pins 69 'should-beriding" the slot- 66-at the rear end thereof and not be locked in any of the notches to theupper ends of legs l6 and II to be pivoted on rivets 21 from the position shown that the notches 14 clear the to slide -forwardly on the be moved and 46 of the back rest as its simple mechanical set up for use and 001- if the user gets up from the chair.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many ferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible reclining chair comprising a front support, a back said supports and said of spaced parallel legs,

frame each having a pair a pair of connector members each comprising a block affixed to the upper end respectively of one of the legs of the front support, means pivotally mounting the front end of each of the legs of the back support in said block, means pivotally connecting the legs of the seat frame adjacent the rear ends thereof to the legs of the back support, means slidably mounting the legs of the seat frame adjacent the front thereof on the legs of said front support respectively, stop means on the legs of the front support to limit the sliding movement of the front end of said seat frame thereon, a back rest comprising a pair of spaced parallel legs, means pivotally mounting the lower ends of said legs to the rear ends of the legs of said seat frame respectively, adjustable connections between said connector members and said. back rest for setting the angle of inclination of the latter wih respect to said seat frame, said adjustable connections comprising a pair of arm rests pivotally mounted near their rear ends to the legs of said back rest respectively and extending over said blocks, said arm rests each having a longitudinally extending strip aifixe in with a plurality of notches in the upper edge thereof, and having a laterally extending flange along the lower edge thereof, said blocks each having a pair of spaced upstanding fingers rigid therewith straddling said flange, thereby preventing lateral displacement of said arm rests, said fingers having a pin rigid therewith extending transversely thereacross and positioned in said slot, said pin being adapted to coact with any one of said notches releasably to lock the arm rests in fixed position with respect to said blocks.

2. A collapsible reclining chair comprising a front support, a back support and a seat frame, said supports and said frame each having a pair of spaced parallel legs, a pair of connector members each comprising a block afiixed to the upper end respectively of one of the legs of the front support, means pivotally mounting the front end of each of the legs of the back support in said block, means pivotally connecting the legs of the seat frame adjacent the rear ends thereof to the legs of the back support, means slidably mounting the legs of the seat frame of spaced parallel legs,

adjacent the front thereof on the legs of said front support respectively, stop means on the legs of the front support to limit the sliding movement of the front end of said seat frame thereon, a back rest comprising a pair of spaced parallel legs, means pivotally mounting the lower ends of said legs to the rear ends of the legs of said seat frame respectively, adjustable connections between said connector members and the back rest for setting the angle of inclination of the latter frame, said adjustable a pair of arm rests pivotally mounted near their rear ends to the respective legs of said back rest and extending over said blocks, said arm rests each having a longitudinally extending strip affixed on the undersurface thereof and depending therefrom in a plane at right angles thereto, said strips each having a longitudinal slot therein with a plurality of notches in the upper edge thereof, each of said blocks having a pin rigid therewith positioned in the slot of the corresponding strip and adapted to coact with any one of said notches releasably to lock the corresponding arm rest in fixed position with respect to its associated block, said blocks each having cam means associated therewith and coacting with the undersurface of said arm rests, said cam means being conformed to urge said arm rests upwardly so that said notches clear said pins when the legs of the front support are pivoted toward the legs of said back support thereby automatically to unlock said arm rests.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the upper edge of said slot adjacent the rearmost notch therein has a longitudinal recessed portion whereby said pin may be guided into said rearmost notch.

4. A collapsible reclining chair comprising a front support, a back support and a seat frame, said supports and said frame each having a pair a pair of connector members each comprising a block ailixed to the upper end respectively of one of the legs of the front support, means pivotally mounting the front end of each of the legs of the back support in said block, means pivotally connecting the legs of the seat frame adjacent the rear ends thereof to the legs of the back support, means slidably mounting the legs of the seat frame adjacent the front thereof on the legs of said front support respectively, stop means on the legs of the front support to limit the sliding movement of the front end of the seat frame thereon, a back rest comprising a pair of spaced parallel legs, means pivotally mounting the lower ends of said legs to the rear ends of the legs of said seat frame respectively, adjustable connections between said connector members and said back rest for setting the angle of inclination of the latter with respect to said seat frame, said adjustable connections comprising a pair of near their rear ends to the legs of said back rest respectively and extending over said blocks, having a longitudinally exupper edge thereof, each of said blocks having a pair of spaced upstanding fingers rigid therewith on the upper surface thereof, said fingers having with respect to said seat connections comprising 

